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PJZ has reported his findings to a variety of authorities - who he is in regular contact with as he provides them constant updates on his findings - whether any of these agencies are Police Scotland - you would have to ask him yourself.

 

It should be borne in mind however his main thrust to date has been to prove allegations of State Aid. At some point' date=' should those allegations be upheld then the mechanism used to provide that State Aid, I think that will be the time to consider criminal accountability. Though if evidence of criminal conduct was identitfied in the documentation he has made public - I would imagine that would take priority for the Police Service.[/quote']

 

The problem is that State aid is not necessarily illegal. For example, the State bailed out a number of banks. That was not illegal. So we then have a couple of different issues.

 

The first is whether the various public bodies breached their own procedures and their own fiduciary responsibilities and whether any of those breaches give rise to criminal misconduct. The second is whether any State aid has breached either UK or European fair competition rules.

 

While it would be gratifying to see the media wading into this situation it isn't going to happen until there is a very solid and factual dossier which spells out where breaches of the law have occurred and supports these allegations with hard facts. I don't know PJZ but, from what I can see, he/she is doing some good work. However, it would appear to be early days as yet and a lot more will need to be done. The media are simply not going to latch on to something that could land them in court because the allegations are not properly supported and the police are not going to expend resources where they are not sure that a crime has been committed.

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Good luck to PJZ. This is a stinking scandal that epitomizes (or should that be "epitimizes") the level to which journalism has sunk to in Scotland. Nothing to see here boys. Move on. Move on.

 

Whoever you are mate, keep digging.

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The problem is that State aid is not necessarily illegal. For example, the State bailed out a number of banks. That was not illegal. So we then have a couple of different issues.

 

The first is whether the various public bodies breached their own procedures and their own fiduciary responsibilities and whether any of those breaches give rise to criminal misconduct. The second is whether any State aid has breached either UK or European fair competition rules.

 

While it would be gratifying to see the media wading into this situation it isn't going to happen until there is a very solid and factual dossier which spells out where breaches of the law have occurred and supports these allegations with hard facts. I don't know PJZ but, from what I can see, he/she is doing some good work. However, it would appear to be early days as yet and a lot more will need to be done. The media are simply not going to latch on to something that could land them in court because the allegations are not properly supported and the police are not going to expend resources where they are not sure that a crime has been committed.

 

Well firstly - I dont think anyone has asked the Police to become involved - you asked and were furnished with an answer.

 

Secondly the type of State Aid offered by government to prop up ailing banks is a different kettle of fish from a local authority providing assistance to a football club. You only need to ask EU who are conducting a number of investigations into the latter.

 

My concern would be that there appears to be a double standard with regard to where the press "wade in". They were happy to wade into the Rangers Tax Case - but didnt want to do any more wading when it became apparent in a document published by Lord Nimmo Smith that the evidence in that case had been stolen.

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There is most certainly a double standard. Nobody is disputing that. However, the tax case had been floating around for some time before the media really got interested. In fact, it was only when David Murray left the scene. The media in Scotland is ever wary of powerful men. It is, I think, going to take more than some diligent digging by PJZ to counteract their fear of Lawwell.

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There is most certainly a double standard. Nobody is disputing that. However, the tax case had been floating around for some time before the media really got interested. In fact, it was only when David Murray left the scene. The media in Scotland is ever wary of powerful men. It is, I think, going to take more than some diligent digging by PJZ to counteract their fear of Lawwell.

 

Apparently the State Aid enquiry has been on the go for months as well - saw Shane from CRO quoting Spiers who claimed to have known about it for months. Perhaps Graham wasn't so "comfortable" writing about it - hence his silence

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